Chicago has the Green Mill and Kansas City has the Green Lady, a couple of things they have in common are great jazz and loads of ambiance. The only difference with the K.C. version is that guests can enjoy a couple of small bites while listening to some up-and-coming local artists. The cocktail menu is also filled with a lot of old-school drinks like the Manhattan, Rob Roy, Old-Fashioned and their very own Green Lady made with apple jack brandy. Check website for complete calendar of musicians and other information.
A much-welcomed addition to the cultural weave of this city, the Muriel Kauffman Theater is located inside the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Promising to be a venue that presents an impressive variety of artists and events, this theater is definitely a venue to visit for those who really wish to know intimately the liveliness of Kansas City. Named after a local leader, this theater is a proscenium venue, with a capacity of 1,800 seats. Appointed with the latest in technology, this theater can make an audience experience quite memorable.
Cradled in the arms of three major thoroughfares, this 18,000 seat center located downtown is one of the most popular spots to see a show in KC. After it was constructed, Elton John inaugurated the arena with a sold-out concert on October 13th, 2007. Since then, the Sprint Center has continued to host not just concerts, but sports events, Disney on Ice, professional bull riding and even Cirque du Soleil. The center's very own, 'College Basketball Experience' is another highlight. This is the NCAA version of the basketball hall of fame at the collegiate level and it features two-floors of college basketball memorabilia as well as exhibits about its history.
The Todd Bolender Center for Dance & Creativity is the home of Kansas City Ballet, housed in the former Union Station Power House in downtown, just a few meters from the Kansas City Amtrak station. Completed in the late summer of 2011, this structure underwent quite an extensive remodeling to be converted into a first-rate performance venue, and the home of some of the staff of the Kansas City Ballet. The transformation of the building was the ingenuity of the BNIM architectural firm, and the approximately 65,000 square feet (6,000 square meters) of space has been redone to include dance studios and a Studio Theater with a capacity of 180, as well as other facilities of the Kansas City Ballet.
The Gem was constructed in 1912 using a Baroque-style motif in its architecture and was originally planned as a movie house in the historic 18th & Vine District. Today, it is a live music, dance and theater stage that hosts various acts, from musicals to live jazz, the Gem is always abuzz with activity. The theater is run under the benevolent auspices of the American Jazz Museum (located a few doors down on 18th) and is most notably known for its "Jammin' at the Gem" series which features some of the best musicians in the world.
This theater, known as one of the finest outdoor theaters in the country, hosts an entire season of shows. Celebrating its 52nd anniversary season, this magnificent theater boasts a newly constructed 10-story, fully enclosed community stage, as well as "Garden of the Stars" and "Starlight Square." Most of the shows begin after 8:30p. The box office is located at 6601 Swope Parkway.